Things I hold sacred

My friends, I feel compelled to share some of my most sacred feelings.

1.   My son and his fiance will be married on Saturday.  They will enter into the Temple of the Lord Jesus Christ and make covenants with one another and they will be sealed together for time and all eternity.  This ordinance is available for any worthy son and daughter of Heavenly Father.  Eternal Marriage is ordained of God.  It is to be only experienced between a man and a woman.  The purpose for marriage is to provide a stable family environment where children can be conceived and raised.  Father's role is to provide a safe and sufficient place for the family to live and to produce the living necessary to feed and cloth and care for his wife and his children.  Mother's role is to nurture the children, teach them right from wrong, teach them to read, pray, and teach them respect for their elders and others with whom they may come into contact.

2.  Religion is an important part of family life.  Genuine love of God and His Son Jesus Christ is imperative.  Learning respect by searching the scriptures, pondering those things learned from them and then exercising fasting and prayer to learn God's will for us is the only way to peace.  When these things are not experienced only chaos can result.  Our nation is drifting into disbelief because of the lack of true understanding of these sacred principles.

3.  Husbands and wives must let each other know they love and respect each other.  They must never let impatience or discontent enter into their thinking or escape their mouths..even to close friends.  The ultimate focus should be on one's spouse no matter what else may be going on.

4.  Successful marriages include children.  Much is learned as we experience the joy of teaching little ones.  What a sacred experience it is to see a child born and then watch him or her grow into themselves.  Some couples cannot have children naturally.  Adoption is certainly an honorable avenue and should be examined.

5.  Prophets are not only for those who lived long ago.  God is just as concerned for His children that live today as He was in the time of Moses or Ezekiel, or Abraham.   We can benefit by listening to a prophet as he instructs us as to how we should comport ourselves.  Prophets do not teach of evil, taking of lives, destroying families, disrespect for women and children.  They teach of respect for fellow beings, for love of life, love of spouse and children.  Never would a prophet of God require one's life to be taken.  There is a prophet today who has the same authority as did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Isaiah, or any of the other Old Testament prophets.  Seek him and learn from him.  He will not lead you away from the precepts of Jesus Christ.

6.  There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated--
     And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
                                                               -Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
If you want specific blessings...look for the law that controls it and obey that law.  After all, the Lord said, "I, the Lord am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

I love my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  I extend the invitation to all to do likewise.  Peace can only come when that love is evident.  I love my wife and each of my 7 children, my two adopted children and my 12 grandchildren.  I hope I tell them often enough.

Please find the temerity to enjoy what I enjoy.